World Cup: Virtual Reality takes you ‘inside’ the stadium

The 2018 FIFA World Cup fever has captured the imagination of football fans all around us. They have postponed movie releases, other sports have respectfully slid their slots away from conflicting with the sport and workplaces are screening the live matches to keep their employees happy. There is no other explanation for this phenomenon except accepting the fact that Football rules the world.

But that is not enough. Now, you can enjoy all the 33 matches in virtual reality from the comfort of your home.

Get hold of the BBC’s VR 2018 FIFA World Cup app and you can get a sneak peek inside the stadium The experience is fully immersive and you would feel as if you were right there in the stadium. Apart from the match, you also get to hear the live commentary and even look at the stats. It will be like you were watching from your own private booth.

To get this full experience, go to your VR platform’s store to download the app. Android smartphone users can download it from PlayStore, Apple users will find it on iTunes store, PlayStation VR users have to get it from PlayStation Store and Oculus users have to go to the official Oculus Store.

Once downloaded, you are ready to see live action and highlights, as long as you have a high-speed internet connection.

This is a part of BBC’s experimental VR sports coverage. The broadcaster has urged the users to follow the VR headset manufacturer’s health and safety guidelines while using the VR set up.

Here is a quick rundown of the most important rules to follow while using VR headsets.

Set up the headset to match your interpupillary distance. Do not swap headsets and watch the game without doing this first step.

Irrespective of how long the match goes on for, stick to 30-minute sessions. And take breaks in between to avoid feeling nauseous. If you experience nausea, stop using VR headset immediately.

VR induced Motion sickness works exactly like seasickness. If you experience seasickness on a boat, consult your doctor and take a tablet to prevent it. This precaution will help you avoid dizziness, vomiting and other related symptoms.

Do not watch Football in VR if you are tired or sleepy. VR’s immersive reality heightens your tiredness and you may not be able to sleep later. Stick to watching it on regular TV if you are not used to watching VR.

Keep the brightness and contrast low. This will help reduce the amount of light energy entering your eyes and thus protect them from damage.

Watching Football in VR is bound to be a surreal experience. In the coming days, the technology will get even better. Football is just a start. Expect to see more sporting action to become available via VR in the near future.

A word of caution, remember to stay in your chair and watch it like you are sitting in the stadium, despite the realness of VR, you are still at home.